Priorities Series: Discipleship

NOTE FROM LUMINEX: This is the third entry in an 8-week series on Priorities. Today’s focus is Discipleship. Enjoy!

Frequently we notice growth after it happens—when we’re not watching. Mostly, I think it’s because we expect growth to only feel exciting. But growth, growing, involves changing and breaking. Growth involves growing pains.

Are there areas in your life that the Lord may want to break? What are some things the Lord needs to break for the breakthrough to emerge?  What is the unsung work in the dark that the Lord might be asking you to do?  The things that no one gets credit for? The something you might be ignoring because of the pain it will cause. Is it following up, perseverance?  The work of the diligent farmer…

I’d like you to sit with this question, “How are you growing in your capacity to participate in what God is doing?”  

Friends, God is at work in this world.  God calls and we follow.  Jesus called Simon Peter and Andrew.  They left their nets and followed Jesus immediately.  Jesus called the Zebedee brothers.  They left their nets and followed immediately.  And Jesus said to them, “From now on, you will fish for people.”  Discipleship is not only asking, “What is God calling us to to and what are we going to do about it?”  It is also, “To whom is God calling us?” The word disciple means apprentice.  As disciples apprenticed to Jesus, we must ask, who are we discipling?  Who is at our shoulder? Just as the disciples were at Jesus’ shoulders.

But before we step too far into discipling others, we must simultaneously begin to wonder: Do I have a life worth imitating?  How have I been apprenticed? How have I experienced the growing pains of becoming discipled? And how might I pass along my wisdom to another believer? Other equally important questions: How am I noticing growth today? What might need to change or break in my life so that I can continue growing more disciples of Christ? How do I spend my time? Who am I inviting in? How have I experienced God this week?  Who does God want to touch through me?

I’ll conclude with these two words:

Cultivate: To prepare for crops (from a Latin word); we have crops in mind; we have a harvest in mind.  Who is the harvest we have in mind?  How are we investing?  How are we preparing, breaking up the soil to acquire and develop?  Cultivating discipling relationships will not happen by accident.

Nurture: To care for; to encourage; to help; to cherish. I’ve asked you many questions this day. But if you only savor one, taste this: What does it mean to cherish what God is doing?  What does it mean to encourage what God is doing? How are you making room for what God is doing?